General Estate Policy on Neighbouring Trees
Inquiries are made periodically about trees on estate land that adjoin neighbouring properties, and how these are to be dealt with. This note is intended to set out how these inquiries will usually be viewed.
The first priority will be to identify if the tree or trees being queried are estate trees. If necessary, we will inspect and give our opinion on ownership. In an initial contact it will be helpful if any inquirer sends his or her Land Registry plan, showing the location of any tree being queried.
It is hoped the above sets out a clear summary of estate policy, based on long experience of estate trees. Neighbourly contact on matters of concern on adjoining trees is always recommended.
Batcheller Monkhouse
September 2020
History
Wotton Estate is a privately owned traditional Estate mainly situated between Gomshall, Westcott, and Leith Hill, and including part of the North Downs. It has farms, attractive woods and commons, houses and cottages, a hotel mansion (Wotton House), a pub (Abinger Hatch), a farm shop (Kingfisher Farm Shop) and fishing lakes. About one-third is open to public access on foot, with car parks. Public rights of way serve much of the remainder.
It has been continuously owned by the Evelyn family since 1579, and present members live on the Estate. Previous family owners have included the famous 17th Century Diarist and Silviculturalist John Evelyn. Residential lettings are a main feature of the Estate, and details of these appear via the lettings tab on this website.